“qualifying event” that would result in loss of coverage under the Plan. You and/or your Dependents will be permitted to continue the same coverage under which you or your Dependents were covered on the day before the qualifying event occurred, unless you move out of that plan’s coverage area or the plan is no longer available. You and/or your Dependents cannot change coverage options until the next open enrollment period. When is COBRA Continuation Available? For you and your Dependents, COBRA continuation is available for up to 18 months from the date of the following qualifying events if the event would result in a loss of coverage under the Plan: your termination of employment for any reason, other than gross misconduct; or your reduction in work hours. For your Dependents, COBRA continuation coverage is available for up to 36 months from the date of the following qualifying events if the event would result in a loss of coverage under the Plan: your death; your divorce or legal separation; or for a Dependent child, failure to continue to qualify as a Dependent under the Plan. Who is Entitled to COBRA Continuation? Only a “qualified beneficiary” (as defined by federal law) may elect to continue health insurance coverage. A qualified beneficiary may include the following individuals who were covered by the Plan on the day the qualifying event occurred: you, your spouse, and your Dependent children. Each qualified beneficiary has their own right to elect or decline COBRA continuation coverage even if you decline or are not eligible for COBRA continuation. The following individuals are not qualified beneficiaries for purposes of COBRA continuation: domestic partners, grandchildren (unless adopted by you), stepchildren (unless adopted by you). Although these individuals do not have an independent right to elect COBRA continuation coverage, if you elect COBRA continuation coverage for yourself, you may also cover your Dependents even if they are not considered qualified beneficiaries under COBRA. However, such individuals’ coverage will terminate when your COBRA continuation coverage terminates. The sections titled “Secondary Qualifying Events” and “Medicare Extension For Your Dependents” are not applicable to these individuals. Secondary Qualifying Events If, as a result of your termination of employment or reduction in work hours, your Dependent(s) have elected COBRA continuation coverage and one or more Dependents experience
another COBRA qualifying event, the affected Dependent(s) may elect to extend their COBRA continuation coverage for an additional 18 months (7 months if the secondary event occurs within the disability extension period) for a maximum of 36 months from the initial qualifying event. The second qualifying event must occur before the end of the initial 18 months of COBRA continuation coverage or within the disability extension period discussed below. Under no circumstances will COBRA continuation coverage be available for more than 36 months from the initial qualifying event. Secondary qualifying events are: your death; your divorce or legal separation; or, for a Dependent child, failure to continue to qualify as a Dependent under the Plan. Disability Extension If, after electing COBRA continuation coverage due to your termination of employment or reduction in work hours, you or one of your Dependents is determined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to be totally disabled under Title II or XVI of the SSA, you and all of your Dependents who have elected COBRA continuation coverage may extend such continuation for an additional 11 months, for a maximum of 29 months from the initial qualifying event. To qualify for the disability extension, all of the following requirements must be satisfied: SSA must determine that the disability occurred prior to or within 60 days after the disabled individual elected COBRA continuation coverage; and A copy of the written SSA determination must be provided to the Plan Administrator within 60 calendar days after the date the SSA determination is made AND before the end of the initial 18-month continuation period. If the SSA later determines that the individual is no longer disabled, you must notify the Plan Administrator within 30 days after the date the final determination is made by SSA. The 11-month disability extension will terminate for all covered persons on the first day of the month that is more than 30 days after the date the SSA makes a final determination that the disabled individual is no longer disabled. All causes for “Termination of COBRA Continuation” listed below will also apply to the period of disability extension. Medicare Extension for Your Dependents When the qualifying event is your termination of employment or reduction in work hours and you became enrolled in Medicare (Part A, Part B or both) within the 18 months before the qualifying event, COBRA continuation coverage for your Dependents will last for up to 36 months after the date you became enrolled in Medicare. Your COBRA continuation coverage will last for up to 18 months from the date of your termination of employment or reduction in work hours.
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